A mantra, as defined by dictionary.com, is a word or formula, as from the Veda, chanted or sung as an incantation or prayer.

An unconscious mantra is the things we say out loud or in our head to ourselves without even paying attention to what we are saying that works as an incantation or prayer to the universe. In other words the announcements we make to our manifesting energy that bring more of the same into our lives.

I will give you my example. When I get stressed out and feel like I have too much to do, I often say to my husband "I don't have enough time" or "I can't take it!" Through this declaration, according to the law of attraction, or the belief that like attracts like, I am attracting more lack of time and more situations I "can't take.” I have also found that sometimes when I say I am overwhelmed and can't take it, everything stops. I mean everything, business, friends, family, etc. and not necessarily for the better. My “I can’t take it” mantra stops whatever flow and momentum I have created.

If the truth is, I like what I have around me, I just want it in the way I feel I can handle it. I want to introduce choice back into what is going on around me, s I intentionally, create replacement mantras and do what I need to do to reinforce them such as hang a sticky note up with my new affirmation.

I might start saying "I choose to not use my time on that today." OR "I choose to address this issue, even though I feel in conflict with it, because I want to invest energy here.”

Here are other examples of unconscious mantras people say. See if you can spot yours. One key way to spot it is if it has no choice in it, including "have to" and "should".

• I can't do it

• I am overloaded

• I have to take care of everyone

• I am so _____ (enter any disparaging thing you say about yourself)

• Life's not fair

• People are _____ (disparaging statement attracting more of those people into your life)

• Life is hard

• I'll never find a _________(job, partner, home, peace, etc.)

Spotting your own unconscious prayers to the universe

See if you can spot your own unconscious mantras. What are you saying to the universe that is bringing more of the same?  What kinds of things do you say when you are stressed? What position do you justify to others? i.e. “I am just too sick to do that.” Or “I wish I had more money to do stuff like that.”  If you make a suggestion to yourself to start noticing them, you will. Write them down and just make a mental note on how much they come up in a day in your own head.

You may need to ask someone else in your life help you spot it. Because unconscious means you do know how much you are doing it. Ask for your friends and family to help point them out. Be prepared to want to justify your affirmations and resist the urge to do so. Let them give you honest feedback.

Rewriting your mantras

Now that you can identify them, be honest with yourself, if you had a genie in a bottle right now, granting every affirmation, would you want that in your life? It is time to start consciously replacing these automatic thoughts with wishes you do want granted.

You can use these questions to dig in further:

• What need is your unconscious mantra highlighting is NOT being met?

• Explore this on emotional, mental, spiritual, physical levels

• What need DOES your mantras serve?

• How can you take these needs and turn them into their own mantras?

Reinforcing your mantras

Because the thoughts you are trying to replace are often ones you are using under high stress times, you want to get your new mantras in as much as possible in the low stress times first, so you can have access to them in high stress situations more easily. It is challenging to do this under duress.

Here are some ideas on how to make your mantras stick.

Place sticky notes around where you can see them with your new thoughts on them.

• Make an encrypted version of your mantra your passwords, so you have to type them often.

• Find a quote that inspires your new thought and make it part of your social media status or email signature.

• Give the people close to you permission to tell you to “swap it up” when you are using old thoughts to cue you to use new ones.

• Share your ideas of positive affirmations and how to get them through the subconscious noise in this blog or on social media and get feedback.

• Make a meme and post it on your wall.

Play with it. Have fun and commit to being kinder to yourself. 

Here is a nice inspiring message about beliefs and systems. Changing your inner mantras is one was to improve your personal power.